Review: Fallen Hero by Katie Zhao

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The Fallen Hero by Katie Zhao

Fallen Hero (Dragon Warrior #2)
Katie Zhao
Bloomsbury USA Children’s
Published October 6, 2020

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About Fallen Hero

Faryn Liu thought she was the Heaven Breaker, a warrior destined to wield the all-powerful spear Fenghuang, command dragons, and defeat demons. But a conniving goddess was manipulating her all along…and her beloved younger brother, Alex, has betrayed her and taken over as the Heaven Breaker instead. Alex never forgave the people who treated him and Faryn like outcasts, and now he wants to wipe out both the demons and most of humanity.

Determined to prevent a war and bring Alex back to her side, Faryn and her half-dragon friend Ren join the New Order, a group of warriors based out of Manhattan’s Chinatown. She learns that one weapon can stand against Fenghuang–the Ruyi Jingu Bang. Only problem? It belongs to an infamous trickster, the Monkey King.

Faryn sets off on a daring quest to convince the Monkey King to join forces with her, one that will take her to new places–including Diyu, otherwise known as the Underworld–where she’ll run into new dangers and more than one familiar face. Can she complete her mission and save the brother she loves, no matter the cost?

My Review

Faryn is every bit as funny and full of heart in FALLEN HERO as she was in THE DRAGON WARRIOR. I loved her relationships with the other characters, especially her relationship with Ren, which is so sweet.

I think I read this book faster than the first one, too. The quest to find the Ruyi Jingu Bang takes Faryn and her allies all over the place. Again the story leads her to lean on her connection to her family and her ancestors. I love that it celebrates the bond between generations.

I know almost nothing about Chinese mythology, so I enjoyed learning a bit and seeing the different gods and goddesses portrayed in the story. It reminded me a bit of the Percy Jackson books in that it has gods and goddesses in a contemporary world. These books might be best read by readers a little younger, but I think they’re every bit as entertaining and fun.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 8 to 12.

Representation
Most Characters are Chinese American.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
A boy and girl hold hands for a moment.

Spiritual Content
Gods and goddesses from Chinese mythology battle one another, care for Diyu (the Underworld) and rule from Heaven. Some have powerful weapons. A boy can transform into a dragon. Two children learn that their father is a Demon King in Diyu. The spirits of the dead offer aid and are more powerful than usual because of the Hungry Ghost Festival.

Violent Content
Some situations of peril and battle violence (no gory details).

Drug Content
None.

Note: I received a free copy of FALLEN HERO in exchange for my honest review. This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support the costs of running this blog.

Review: A Golden Fury by Samantha Cohoe

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A Golden Fury
Samantha Cohoe
Wednesday Books
Published October 13, 2020

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Indiebound | Goodreads

About A Golden Fury

Thea Hope longs to be an alchemist out of the shadow of her famous mother. The two of them are close to creating the legendary Philosopher’s Stone—whose properties include immortality and can turn any metal into gold—but just when the promise of the Stone’s riches is in their grasp, Thea’s mother destroys the Stone in a sudden fit of violent madness.

While combing through her mother’s notes, Thea learns that there’s a curse on the Stone that causes anyone who tries to make it to lose their sanity. With the threat of the French Revolution looming, Thea is sent to Oxford for her safety, to live with the father who doesn’t know she exists.

But in Oxford, there are alchemists after the Stone who don’t believe Thea’s warning about the curse—instead, they’ll stop at nothing to steal Thea’s knowledge of how to create the Stone. But Thea can only run for so long, and soon she will have to choose: create the Stone and sacrifice her sanity, or let the people she loves die.

My Review

I loved all the twisty, turning elements of this story. The quest to create the Stone. The evolving relationships, especially between Thea and her parents and Will and Valentin. I love that she faces things her mother taught her about relationships, and about men in particular and has to decide for herself if they are true. There’s a lot of exploration on trust and how much someone deserves, and some about what forgiveness looks like, and the nature of power.

Thea is a complicated character who struggles with a desire to please her mother and also resents her mother’s control over her. She desperately wants to find her own way, but also desperately wants to save her mother, too. I felt like she was so relatable in all of that, and I felt her anxiety about being on her own and her butterflies about meeting her father for the first time.

The tone in the story has an older feel to it (as in centuries, not the age of the characters), which fits the historical genre. It reads a little bit like a scientist’s journal, in that there are a lot of observations and internal thoughts and long stretches where there isn’t much dialogue.

This didn’t really bother me at all once I got into the story. By about chapter four or five, I felt pretty hooked, and even before that I was enjoying the story and really interested in what happened. But for me, my reading seemed to take off once I was a few chapters in.

I think readers who enjoyed TO BEST THE BOYS by Mary Weber, or GIVE THE DARK MY LOVE by Beth Revis will really enjoy this one.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 14 up.

Representation
Major characters are white. There are some clashes of class, rich versus poor.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
One curse in German.

Romance/Sexual Content
Some clear attraction between a man and woman. References to others having had sex.

Spiritual Content
One character is Catholic and visits a priest to confess sins. The Philosopher’s Stone gives its bearer a great amount of power, but also carries a curse that destroys the sanity of anyone who tries to make it.

Violent Content
Several violent altercations with some brief graphic violence. Some reference to and events leading to torture. Multiple characters are restrained with chains once they’ve gone mad.

Drug Content
Some historically appropriate social drinking.

Note: I received a free copy of A GOLDEN FURY in exchange for my honest review. This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support the costs of running this blog.

About Samantha Cohoe

Website | Goodreads | Instagram | Twitter

Samantha Cohoe writes historically-inspired young adult fantasy. She was raised in San Luis Obispo, California, where she enjoyed an idyllic childhood of beach trips, omnivorous reading, and writing stories brimming with adverbs. She currently lives in Denver with her family and divides her time among teaching Latin, mothering, writing, reading, and deleting adverbs. A Golden Fury is her debut novel.

Review: Blazewrath Games by Amparo Ortiz

Book Review and Content, Fantasy, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , , ,

Blazewrath Games
Amparo Ortiz
Page Street Kids
Published October 6, 2020

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Indiebound | Goodreads

About Blazewrath Games

Lana Torres has always preferred dragons to people. In a few weeks, sixteen countries will compete in the Blazewrath World Cup, a tournament where dragons and their riders fight for glory in a dangerous relay. Lana longs to represent her native Puerto Rico in their first ever World Cup appearance, and when Puerto Rico’s Runner—the only player without a dragon steed—is kicked off the team, she’s given the chance.

But when she discovers that a former Blazewrath superstar has teamed up with the Sire—a legendary dragon who’s cursed into human form—the safety of the Cup is jeopardized. The pair are burning down dragon sanctuaries around the world and refuse to stop unless the Cup gets cancelled. All Lana wanted was to represent her country. Now, to do that, she’ll have to navigate an international conspiracy that’s deadlier than her beloved sport.

How to Train Your Dragon meets Quidditch through the Ages in this debut fantasy, set in an alternate contemporary world, in which dragons and their riders compete in an international sports tournament.

My Review

The comparison to HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON and Quidditch definitely fits this book. Once Lana joins the Blazewrath team, lots of chapters take place on the field, describing the game and her team’s efforts to win.

Because Lana isn’t a dragon rider with a shared bond and closeness to any of the dragons, they are all pretty minor characters. I thought it was cool that different regions had different types of dragons, and that the dragons themselves had lots of varying abilities and behaviors.

I liked Lana– she’s smart and determined. She pursues the truth about the Sire no matter the risk to herself, and she stays bold and committed even in the face of danger.

I liked a LOT of things about the book. It’s a wild adventure, and full of Puerto Rican pride and the love of found family. I think fans of DRAGON WARRIOR by Katie Zhao will like the high adventure and alternate contemporary setting. Readers who are interested in but not quite ready for LOBIZONA by Romina Garber should add THE BLAZEWRATH GAMES to their bookshelves.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 10 to 14.

Representation
Lana and her teammates are Puerto Rican. A couple minor characters are gay.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Moderate profanity used infrequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
Some flirting, but nothing beyond that.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violent Content
Some scenes show brief but graphic violence, including a throat being cut. References to torture and execution. The Blazewrath game includes combat-style play which can result in serious injury.

Drug Content
None.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support the costs of running this blog.

Review: The Code for Love and Heartbreak by Jillian Cantor

Book Review and Content, Contemporary, Romance, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , , , , ,

The Code for Love and Heartbreak
Jillian Cantor
Inkyard Press
Published October 6, 2020

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Indiebound | Goodreads

About The Code for Love and Heartbreak

From bestselling author Jillian Cantor comes a smart, edgy update of Jane Austen’s beloved classic Emma.

Emma Woodhouse is a genius at math, but clueless about people. After all, people are unreliable. They let you down—just like Emma’s sister, Izzy, did this year, when she moved to California for college. But numbers…those you can count on. (No pun intended.)

Emma’s senior year is going to be all about numbers, and seeing how far they can take her. When she and George, her Coding Club co-president, are tasked with brainstorming a new project, The Code for Love is born—a matchmaking app that goes far beyond swiping, using algorithms to calculate compatibility. George disapproves of Emma’s idea, accusing her of meddling in people’s lives. But all the happy new couples at school are proof that the app works. At least at first.

Emma’s code is flawless. So why is it that perfectly matched couples start breaking up, the wrong people keep falling for each other and her own feelings defy any algorithm? Emma thought math could solve everything. But there’s nothing more complex—or unpredictable—than love.

My Review

As a contemporary romance, I really enjoyed CODE FOR LOVE AND HEARTBREAK. I tend to like smart heroines, so it was a pretty strong possibility that I’d love Emma going into the book. And it turns out, I totally loved her.

I’m also a pretty big fan of sister relationships, so I loved the relationship between Emma and Izzy. I loved that they were so different from each other and that sometimes that caused sparks to fly and other times, they needed each other in ways that only sisters truly do.

As an update of Jane Austen’s EMMA, though, I have much more mixed feelings. I missed some of the dynamics in some of the relationships. I missed the Miss Bates of Austen’s version, in all her sweet, trying chattiness. I missed the connection between characters– the Westons and Frank (Sam) Churchill, and between Jane and Miss Bates.

In fairness, I don’t know how someone could bring all those relationships and the complexities they add AND tell CODE FOR LOVE AND HEARTBREAK without adding like 100 more pages. Which I probably wouldn’t have minded once I was into the story, but I imagine the average reader might not feel quite the same! Ha.

All in all, I think this is a super cute romance with smart characters and interesting relationships. Fans of friends to lovers or of sister stories will find lots to love here. I think the story will appeal to fans of WHAT I LIKE ABOUT YOU by Marisa Kanter and TODAY TONIGHT TOMORROW by Rachel Lynn Solomon.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 12 up.

Representation
Major characters are white. Some minor characters are gay.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Mild profanity used very infrequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
Couples hold hands. A group of senior class boys who make a bet on who can have sex with an underclass girl first. This behavior is pretty strongly condemned. Kissing between boy and girl.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violent Content
None.

Drug Content
Emma remembers a party her sister threw that someone brought alcohol to. She hid upstairs and didn’t participate in the party.

Note: I received a free copy of THE CODE FOR LOVE AND HEARTBREAK in exchange for my honest review. This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support the costs of running this blog.

About Jillian Cantor

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Jillian Cantor is the author of award-winning and bestselling novels for adults and teens, including In Another Time, The Hours Count, Margot, and The Lost Letter, which was a USA Today bestseller. She has a BA in English from Penn State University and an MFA from the University of Arizona. Cantor lives in Arizona with her husband and two sons.

Review: Revver the Speedway Squirrel by Sherri Duskey Rinker

Book Review and Content, Contemporary, Middle Grade 8-12, , , , ,

Revver the Speedway Squirrel
Sherri Duskey Rinker
Bloomsbury USA Children’s
Published October 6, 2020

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About Revver the Speedway Squirrel

Meet Revver: a little squirrel with big dreams . . . to drive a race car! His siblings might not understand his need for speed, but Revver doesn’t care. And he certainly doesn’t care about looking for food, climbing trees, or any other “ordinary” squirrel activity. He spends his days staring at the racetrack just below his nest, where the cars zoom by day in and day out.

When Revver finally gets the chance to sneak out to the track, he finds that becoming part of the pit crew is more difficult than he expected. He never learned anything about engines in Squirrel School! Then Revver meets tire changer Bill, who luckily has a soft spot for animals. Can Revver prove to Bill that he deserves to be part of the team?

Perfect for fans of Ralph S. Mouse, Revver the Speedway Squirrel is a funny, action-packed, and heartwarming story about family, feeling different, and following your heart.

My Review

The beginning of this book was a little bit weird to me. There’s a lot of setup of mama squirrel and Revver and his siblings (including a somewhat shocking moment when mama squirrel cheerfully warns her babies that if they don’t learn the lessons she’s trying to teach them that she may have to eat them.). Revver doesn’t have time for or interest in ordinary squirrel things. What he really wants is to be involved in the racetrack he’s been watching all his life from the nest.

Once Revver reaches the track and begins to learn about being part of a team and the importance of thinking things through, the story gains a lot of momentum. Revver’s dream is within his grasp, but only if he can learn the squirrel lessons he once thought were so useless.

On the whole, this is a fun story that combines animal narrators and a racetrack setting that should appeal to readers with both those interests. It’s probably best for readers who are right between chapter and middle grade books.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 8 to 10.

Representation
Main characters are squirrels.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
No profanity. Some crude references to bodily functions. One of the squirrels is named “Farty” because he has lots of gas.

Romance/Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violent Content
The mother squirrel tries to teach all her babies about dangers and survival. She tells them if they don’t learn all the lessons, she may have to eat them. A man kicks a squirrel into the air. Coyotes surround a squirrel, hoping to eat her.

Drug Content
None.

Note: I received a free copy of REVVER THE SPEEDWAY SQUIRREL in exchange for my honest review. This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support the costs of running this blog.

10 Most-Anticipated YA Books Out in October 2020

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10 Most Anticipated YA Books Coming October 2020

One of the few good things about this year has been that I’ve ended up with a bit more time to read– and thank goodness, because this year has been an incredible one for finding new favorite books.

This month brings even more fabulous titles packed with romance, humor, explorations on social justice and racial issues, and lush fantasy landscapes. Here are a few of the titles I’m most excited about coming out October 2020.

The Girl of Hawthorn and Glass by Adan Jerreat-Poole

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Indiebound | Goodreads

What you need to know: If you liked NEVERWHERE by Neil Gaiman, you need to read this. Super different story world; I’m on the edge of my seat.

Available October 6, 2020 | My Review

Hush (Hush #1) by Dylan Farrow

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Indiebound | Goodreads

What you need to know: A feminist fairytale story in a world where words have power and magic is limited to those in control.

Available October 6, 2020

Blazewrath Games by Amparo Oritz

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Indiebound | Goodreads

What you need to know: Hailed as HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON meets QUIDDITCH THROUGH THE AGES. Dragon games. Deadly conspiracies. Sounds amazing!

Available October 6, 2020 | My Review

The Code for Love and Heartbreak by Jillian Cantor

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Indiebound | Goodreads

What you need to know: A contemporary EMMA retelling with a lady math genius and app developer. I can’t wait to read this.

Available October 6, 2020 | My Review

The Silver Box by Margi Preus

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Indiebound | Goodreads

What you need to know: Francie Frye, a reluctant northwoods Nancy Drew tackles her third mystery and hopes to uncover the truth about her mother. Loved it!

Available October 6, 2020 | My Review

Winter, White and Wicked by Shannon Dittemore

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Indiebound | Goodreads

What you need to know: Mad Max: Fury Road meets Frozen. (I’m intrigued!) A quest for her missing best friend pairs a girl with a team of unconventional allies.

Available October 13, 2020

This is All Your Fault by Aminah Mae Safi

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Indiebound | Goodreads

What you need to know: Set over the course of a single day. Follows three women determined to save an indie bookstore.

Available October 13, 2020

The Gifted, the Talented, and Me by William Sutcliffe

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Indiebound | Goodreads

What you need to know: Irreverent and hilarious. A story about fitting in and staying true to yourself. Sounds like the perfect pick-me-up read!

Available October 13, 2020 | My Review

A Golden Fury by Samantha Cohoe

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Indiebound | Goodreads

What you need to know: A girl faces a terrible curse in order to save the lives of those she loves. Magic and alchemy. Sounds perfect for fans of GIVE THE DARK MY LOVE and TO BEST THE BOYS.

Available October 13, 2020 | My Review

Among the Beasts and Briars by Ashley Poston

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Indiebound | Goodreads

What you need to know: A cursed wood encroaching on a peaceful kingdom. A girl who can save it with the help of a pesky fox, a powerful bear, and the magic in her veins. Poston is on my auto-buy list, so I MUST have this one!

Available October 20, 2020

What’s on your October reading list?

Have you read any of the books on my list already? Which books are you looking forward to reading this month?